Covington Police, Police Themselves

Two Covington police officers are placed under arrest after an internal investigation determined they used excessive force.

A criminal investigation conducted by the internal affairs division discovered the two officers broke the law in November while arresting a man for shoplifting.

Officer Anthony Adams and Officer Nicholas Harper were placed under arrest Monday morning. Both have since posted bond.

“We take an oath of office to uphold the law. Not violate the law,” says Chief Richard Palmisano. “The force was not authorized and excessive and as a result we feel that probably that individual was in fact misused.”

Adams resigned as a result of the investigation. Harper is on leave without pay.

“There was obviously some force used during the course of this arrest and I don’t believe that falls within our procedures. There was a taser used,” says Palmisano.

He says the person in custody on shoplifting charges also lashed out at police that day back in November, sending one of the officers to the hospital with minor injuries, “I think he was bitten.”

The arrestee never filed a complaint and pleaded guilty to all charges, “He committed a battery on one of the employees at the location he was shoplifting.”

Palmisano says paperwork both Adams and Harper filled out after the arrest prompted the investigation, “They are required to fill out a police standardized form that allows us to be able to be aware of that and investigate it.”

We are not going to allow these things to occur and be swept under the carpet.

Adams was with the Covington Police Department four years. Harper two years.

Palmisano says the investigation is ongoing pending judicial action.

This case is now in the hands of the St. Tammany Parish district attorney.